Adding the Dollars Up.A tally, done by a global reinsurance company, found “nearly all the world's economic damage from storms, drought, fire and earthquakes was centered in the United States.”

Preparing New York.The NYS 2100 Commission came out with its recommendations for what the state must do to prepare for the worsening storms and rising sea levels connected to climate change. Some of its recommendations, according to the New York Times, include “turning some of the state’s industrial shoreline back into oyster beds, hardening the electric and natural gas systems, and improving the scope and availability of insurance coverage.”

Jobs. New numbers for the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics showed 155,000 jobs were added in the United States in December. A deeper look at the numbers found 25,000 manufacturing jobs were added while 1,000 transportation jobs were lost. Our work is just starting, however. As David Foster, Executive Director of the BlueGreen Alliance, stated in a statement Friday, “There are still some tough choices ahead for Congress in the coming months, but taking head on the challenges of climate change and rebuilding our nation’s infrastructure should be a high priority.”

National and International Blue-Green

The Seattle Post-Intelligencer heard outgoing Governor Chris Gregoire will President Obama’s choice for the new head of the Environmental Protection Agency, and NBC Politics gives a run down of the choices for a number of other Cabinet positions.

CleanTechnica reports Nicaragua set of goal of getting 94 percent of its electricity from renewable sources by 2017.

Germany’s solar capacity grew by more than 7.6 gigawatts in 2012. The International Herald Tribune points out that is “far above the 2.5 to 3.5 gigawatts Berlin would like to see each year.”

Bloomberg talked to a number of winemakers who are concerned about what global warming means for the wine industry.

To the States

The Argus Leader reports that, despite the renewal of the federal Production Tax Credit for wind energy, “barriers to wind development remain in South Dakota.”

A new study, covered by the Chicago Sun-Times, found Amtrak ridership in Missouri, Illinois, Indiana and Michigan increased 37 percent between 2007 and 2012.

New York City added more busses to its service. This is, according to Transportation Nation, the “first major expansion of transit service in the city since 2010.”

Midwest Energy News overviews what builders and inspectors are doing to comply with Illinois “strict new energy code.”

A new 7,000 panel solar installation began operation in Slayton, Minnesota. The Star Tribune has more, and Ohio’s Plain Dealer visits the new solar farm that will be powering Cuyahogo Metropolitan Housing Authority’s new headquarters.